Lindenberg on the new monkey species "Udo": "I've always been a friend of upright gangs"

2019-11-08T16:19:49.868Z

In May 2016, researchers in the Allgäu discovered a hitherto unknown ape species. This now bears the same name as Udo Lindenberg. The 73-year-olds are particularly pleased.

Rock musician Udo Lindenberg is honored by the researchers who gave the nickname "Udo" to the fossil of a hitherto unknown ape. "I've always been a friend of upright gear," Lindenberg said. "Udo" could fundamentally question the current view of human evolutionary history: According to the scientists, his skeleton indicates that the upright gait has developed in Europe instead of in Africa and earlier than previously assumed (read more about the find here ).

"It's a great moment for science - a great honor for me," said the musician. "Big Grattu and big thanks to the team around Madelaine Böhme." The researchers had reported to paleontologist Böhme of the University of Tübingen and the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment on the discovery of the previously unknown primate species in the Allgäu.

Christoph Jäckle / Nature / DPA

The 21 bones of the partial skeleton of a male Danuvius guggenmosi

"UDO as Primal Defined Optimal Model"

In addition to other bones, the scientists discovered the almost twelve-million-year-old lower jaw of the primate on 17 May 2016, the 70th birthday of the singer. "Only his songs were on the radio," said Böhme. The scientific name for the apes is Danuvius guggenmosi. The species is said to have lived 11.6 million years ago. The oldest evidence to date for the upright gait was around six million years old and came from the island of Crete and Kenya.

For Lindenberg "Udo" fits perfectly: "UDO like prehistoric Defined optimal model - like a blueprint for the modern-day panic-sneaker." Also the place Lindenberg in the Allgäu is not so far away from the locality at Pforzen. "Udo from yesterday, from today and from the day after tomorrow - here our paths intersect." In addition, he had already published the song "Urmensch" on the album "Keule" in 1982 and showed himself as such on the album cover.